“What’s for dinner?” That always seems to be the question, yet with a little prep you can have a week’s worth of meals at your fingertips! Don’t get caught at the end of the day without a plan. Cooking a delicious, healthy meal shouldn’t be overwhelming and frustrating. If you’re looking for a low-stress cooking solution, in less than an hour, you can prepare a whole weeks’ worth of meals ahead of time, and freeze to pull out each evening for a homemade meal in minutes. To simplify even further, take advantage of Albertson’s Fresh Cuts and Butcher cuts; which really take the work out of meal prep with affordable fresh and convenient ingredients. Pre-chopped fruits, veggies, meat and seafood can cut your cooking time in half, even fourths – leaving you ready and on your way to tackle that homemade meal – healthy in a hurry!

Using the proper freezing techniques, can really make a difference in the flavor and texture of the finished dish. Check out these important facts and tips for successful freezing:

Food must be at room temperature before freezing.

Don’t overload freezer.

Do not put a cold glass or ceramic dish in a hot oven as the dish may possibly break.

When the power goes out, if your freezer is unopened it’s full and well insulated — foods will stay frozen from around two to four days.

Using proper plastic freezer containers or freezer plastic zip top bags is very important to avoid freezer burn and prolong freezer shelf life – freezer storage containers and wraps must be moisture proof and airtight.

Allow room for food to expand as the food freezes.

Here are 5 great meals you can fix & freeze for easy (and tasty) meal planning:

Salmon with Spinach and Feta Stuffing

This quick-to-prepare salmon recipe will wow your family into salmon lovers.
Get the recipe here.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Fajita and pizza together in one recipe can only mean instantaneous deliciousness. The Fresh Cuts fajita tray gives you the health benefit of red, yellow and green peppers.Get the recipe here.

It’s time to get your dinner menus ready for the week. We know it’s important to you to serve your family meals that not only will they love, they will get a lot of nutrition out of as well. Did you know that you can get the same amount of nutrition from frozen vegetables as you can from fresh (but at a fraction of the cost)? Here are some dinner recipes and sides that all use frozen vegetables that the whole family will love!

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With the spring season comes a delicious variety of vegetables. The arrival of asparagus, artichokes, baby greens, and berries all leave no doubt that winter is over!

Flash in the pan

All of these delicate spring vegetables make easy dinners when flash sautéed—cooked briefly in a pan heated to medium-high—in a small amount of olive oil, then simply seasoned with salt and pepper for a great side dish. If you want to get a bit more creative add sesame seeds, fresh herbs, or garlic.

For a complete meal, add slivered cooked chicken, cooked shrimp, or diced tofu. When adding these extras, be sure not to overcook the vegetables so they keep a bright color and a trace of their crispness. Serve the stir-fry alone or over a bed of a tasty whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa, or whole-wheat couscous.

Helpful hint

The only kitchen rule: Make sure that the harder vegetables are added earlier and all together. For example, asparagus, peppers, and onions will cook in about the same time. If you decide to use something soft, like tomatoes, add them at the end of the cooking process to preserve the natural character of the vegetable.

Serve your stir-fry with a salad

Spring fruits such as apricots and berries are incredible when tossed into a baby field greens salad with extra virgin olive oil and raspberry or balsamic vinegar. Throw in some walnuts or pecans and crumbled blue cheese for a salad that you will crave in all four seasons.